Raków Częstochowa loses 1:4 to GKS Katowice, its ninth defeat in ten Ekstraklasa games

A first half of chances and a collapse after the break

Raków Częstochowa lost 1:4 at home to GKS Katowice on Friday 9 October, in the 10th round of the PKO BP Ekstraklasa at the Limanowskiego stadium in Częstochowa. Ilia Szkurin gave GKS the lead in the 34th minute after a pass from Bartosz Nowak, and Patryk Makuch equalised for the hosts in the 37th minute with a shot that struck the crossbar. Raków held 55 percent of possession before the break, but GKS created three big chances to the hosts' none, according to Przegląd Sportowy. Early in the second half Jean Carlos Silva handled inside his own box, and referee Damian Kos pointed to the spot. Nowak converted the 48th-minute penalty with a Panenka, and Mateusz Kowalczyk made it 3:1 in the 57th minute after Marko Bulat lost possession in midfield and Kowalczyk ran more than 20 metres into the box.

Kaczmarek on mentality and responsibility

Tomasz Kaczmarek spoke at the post-match press conference and took the main responsibility on himself. He said the second half was decided mentally, and that the third goal followed a loss of possession in Raków's own half, which hit the team mentally. He described the evening in simple terms.

It was a difficult evening for us, no doubt about it.

Kaczmarek defended Jean Carlos Silva despite the penalty, which he called unfortunate, and said the player's run of bad luck would end soon. He called Silva one of the leaders of the team and said the club needs him.

There is no doubt about it, he is a very good player and we need him.

The coach said rebuilding the team's mentality this week would be key, and that the squad should not approach the defeat too emotionally.

Season context at the bottom of the table

Raków had entered the match with one win and eight defeats from nine rounds, three points and last place in the table. The club was also knocked out in the Conference League qualifiers, and Kaczmarek replaced the previous coach before the international break. Before this game he surprised by fielding a line-up with four defenders. Ahead of the match he said the squad understood the task.

There is no room for excuses.

The defeat means Raków has lost nine of its ten Ekstraklasa matches this season. GKS moved up to fifth place with 15 points.

Scorers, fans and the red card

Szkurin's goal was his seventh of the season, and Makuch's strike was his sixth, equalling his own Ekstraklasa scoring record. Nowak's assist for Borja Galan's stoppage-time header (90+1) was his seventh of the season. Galan headed in from a free-kick cross by Nowak. Lukas Klemenz was sent off for GKS in the 60th minute, so the visitors played the final half hour with ten men, and Szkurin added his chances to the lead. Several hundred GKS supporters travelled to Częstochowa, filling the small away sector and singing from behind the goal, according to Dziennik Zachodni. It was their second visit to the city this year, after a cup semi-final six months earlier. The away win was GKS's second on the road this season, following its victory over Górnik Zabrze in August.